Cigarette dispenser



Feb. 13, 1940. A. HUESNG 2,189,954

CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed June 22. 1939 v 7 r INVENTOR.

'o ol F /UES/NG l gular casing 6 having a base 1 and a removable Patented Feb. 13, 1940 UNITED STATES gPAfrlzirr OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing apparatus and has particular reference to a dispenser for cigarettes or other like articles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved dispenser of simple and practical construction wherein articles, such as cigarettes contained within a hopper are individually discharged therefrom by the actuation of a rocker element which cooperates with saidhopper and a portion of a delivery chamber to eject a single cigarette from the dispenser upon each operation of said rocker element.

The above and other objects will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment Iof the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 isa perspective view of a cigarette dispenser constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section thereof taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 and showing parts of the apparatus in normal position.

Figure 3is a vertical section somewhat similar to Figure 2 and 4showing the position of operation of the rocker element when actuated to receive an article from the hopper of the apparatus.

l Figure 4 is a vertical section angles to Figures 2 and 3, and

, Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section and with the cover of the device removed.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the device of the present invention is shown as comprising a substantially rectantaken at right top 8. The front wall 9 of the casing is provided therein with an outlet opening I contiguous to the base 1 and the latter is provided below said opening with a trough II for receiving an article discharged from the casing. The front wall 9 v may also be provided with a glass panel I 2 through which the contents of the hopper I3 within the casing I are visible, the front wall of said hopper having an opening I4 therein for this purpose.

Said hopper I3 is seated, within the casing 6` so as to engage the rear wall thereof and is supported in such position by the extensions I5 at the lower end of the hopper which rest upon the bottom of the casing 6. ,In orderto assist` in retaining, the hopper I3 in position within the casing, the inner edges of the upper end thereof (ci. 31a-s4) are engaged by a depending flange I6 extending around an opening formed in the lower portion of the top or cover 8. The bottom I1 of the hopper is of arcuate formation and is provided therein with an opening I8 through which the articles within the hopper are discharged therefrom, one at a time, when the ejector element I9 of the device is operated.

This ejector element is substantially U-shaped in cross section and comprises the side members 2li-and 2l and the bottom 22 which is located directly beneath the bottom I1 of the hopper and is curved to conform tothe contour thereof. At an intermediate point of the bottom 22 of the element I9, the same is providedwith a walled discharge outlet 23 of such size as to receive one article from the hopper when the element I9 is adjusted to the position of Figure -3 to register" the opening I8' and said discharge outlet. The ejector element I9 is suspended for rocking or oscillatory movement from the side walls of the hopper I3, with the side member pivoted at 24 and the side member 2I similarly pivoted at 25. The upper end of the side member ,2l is provided with the spaced lateral extensions 26 through which is extended a -cotter pin 21. A handle 28 for operating the element I9 extends through the adjacent side wall of the casing 6 and is bifurcated, as indicated at 29, at its inner end to receive the cotter pin 21. A locking pin 30 extends through the bifurcated end of the handle 28 at right angles to the cotter pin 21 and said locking pin acts to retain the handle in cooperative relation with the ejector element I9. A4 coil spring 3| connects the eye of the cotter pin 21 with the upper edge of the hopper I3 and said spring acts to yieldably maintain the ejector element in the normal position of Figure 2, in which position the forward edge of the element I9 contacts a stop 32 on the hopper I3 and a portion 33 of the latter closes the discharged outlet 23. A delivery chamber 34 cooperates with the ejector element I9 to guide an article, temporarily held in the outlet` 23, and deliver said a'rticle through the opening I0 in the casing so .f that it will fall into the trough II. Said chamber 34 is in the form of an elongated open-ended tray the front ends of the side walls 35 of which are crimped about the ends of the opening I0 in the casing, as indicated atl 36. The rear end of thebottom of said chamber extends beneath the supporting portions I5 of the hopper I3 and said portions thus aid lin retaining` said chamber or tray in position. The bottom of the tray 'is provided `with a forwardly and upwardly .curved article to said delivery-portion i from each time said ejector element is rocked, and l guiding portion 31 which, in the normal position of the ejector element I9, terminates at a point contiguous to the rear wall of the outlet 23, as shown in Figure 2. From this point the bottom of the chamber 34 is inclined downwardly to provide a delivery portion 38 onto which an article from the outlet 23 is discharged after the ejector element I9 has been operated to the position of Figure 3 to receive an article from the hopper I3 and then returned to the position In practice, when it is desired to dispense an article from the hopper I3, the handle 28 of the device is first depressed to rock the ejector element I9 from the position of Figure 2 to that of Figure 3. During this movement and as the outlet 23 of the element I9 comes into registration with the openingl I8 in the bottom of the hopper one of the articles in the latter will gravitate into the outlet 23 and come to rest on the bottom of the delivery chamber 34 as indicated in Figure 3. Since the outlet 23 of the element I9 is only suflicientiy large to receive one article from the hopper, it will be obvious that a second article will be prevented froml entering said outlet as the element I9 returns to its normal position under the influence of the spring 3|, which return movement occurs when the handle 28 is released. During this return movement the article within the outlet 23 is guided along the 'upwardly inclined portion 31 and as soon as the center of said article has passed the ridge formed by the portions 3`I,A 38 said article will fall upon the latter portion and be guided downwardly thereby through the opening I0 and into the trough II. The return movement ofthe ejector element I9 continues until its forward edge strikes the stop 32 whereupon the parts are all restored to normal position andare ready foranother operation.

What is' claimed is: l. In a cigarette dispenser, a casing, an article hopper therein having an outlet opening through Awhich articles are adapted to be discharged, an,

ejector element rockingly supported in cooperative relation to said hopper and having an opening adapted to be aligned with the opening in said hopper to receive a rsingle article therea meansY to form a' delivery chamber having a bottom provided with angularly disposed guiding and'ydelivery portions, vsaid guiding portion cooperating with'said ejector'v element to guide said' during `movementof said ejector elementin one direction'.

2. In a cigarette dispenser, a casing'jran article hopper therein and having an opening -inits bottom through which articles are adapted -to-be f discharged, an ejector element rockingly supported relative to said hopper and having adischarge' outlet'normally closed by the bottom of said hopper, means direction to register said outlet and opening whereby the former will receive an' article from said hopper, and `means cooperating with said ejector element to guide and discharge said article from said casing upon movement of said element in another direction. 1 y

of Figure 2.Y

' guiding and delivery to move saidejector in one .o

3. In a cigarette dispenser, a casing, an article hopper therein and having an opening in its bottom through which articles are discharged, an ejector elementrrockingly supported relative to said hopper and having a discharge outlet normally closed by the bottom of said hopper, means to move said ejector in one direction to register said outlet and opening whereby the former will receive an article from said hopper, and means to form a chamber having a bottom provided with angularly disposed guiding and delivery portions the former of which cooperates with said ejector element to guide said article to said delivery portion when said element moves oppositely from the iirst named direction.

4. In a cigarette dispenser, a casing, an article hopper having a downwardly curved, apertured bottom and further having supporting portions resting upon the bottom of said casing, an ejector element rockingly supported by said hopper and having a bottom ofthe same arcuate formation as the bottom of said hopper, a discharge outlet formed in the bottom of said ejector element and normally closed by the hopper bottom, means to rock said ejector element in one direction from its normal position to register its outlet with the aperture in said hopper bottom so as to' receive an article in said outlet, and means to form a delivery chamber below said ejector element and held in position relative thereto by said supporting portions and having a bottom formed with portions, said guiding portion conforming in curvature to that of said ejector bottom and said delivery portion being disposed at an angle to said guiding portion to deliver said` article from said casing when said ejector element is returned to its normal position.

5. In a cigarette dispenser, a casing, an article hopper having a downwardly curved, apertured bottom and further having supporting portions resting upon the bottom of said casing, an ejector element rockingly supported by said hopper and having a bottom of the same arcuate formation as the'bottom of said hopper, a discharge outlet formed in the bottom of said ejector element and ment and held in position relative thereto by said ysupporting portions and having a bottom formed with guiding and delivery portions, said guiding portion conforming in curvature to that of said ejector bottom `and said delivery portion being disposed at an angle to said guiding portion to deliver said article from said casing when said ejector element is returned to its normal position.

ADOLF HUESING. 

